This is significant because18 other states have similar bans, including Texas. While today’s ruling focused on just two instances, it indicates the FCC is opposed to such bans, and could rule against other, similar state laws.

Those bans are largely the result of lobbying by existing telephone and cable companies who convinced legislators that allowing cities to build out and sell Internet access was anti-competitive. The Texas lawis particularly strict and forbids cities from even partnering with commercial Internet companies.

Despite today’s ruling, don’t expect Houston to go down this road any time soon. The city’s bad experience with offering citywide Wi-Fi in 2007 is a likely deterrent to taking a shot at municipal broadband now, and there are technical challenges as well. Wiring Houston’s 600 square miles with high-speed, fiber-optic infrastructure is daunting and expensive.

But the FCC vote may give some optimism to underserved rural communities that commercial providers avoid because those areas lack a critical mass of customers. There are plenty of those in Texas, and some towns and counties who are fed up with getting a cold shoulder from telcos and cable companies may try their luck with offering their own Internet access.

Still, it will be a long time before the final outcome is known. As with the net neutrality decision, the municipal broadband vote will be subject to court challenges and possible opposition in Congress. There may be a ray of hope, but for now it’s a faint one.